Slatington Police Chief David Rachman asked borough council for a motion to approve acquiring a prescription for Narcan, also known as naloxone, to be carried by on duty police officers.

Narcan is used to treat an opioid overdose.According to Rachman, police are always the first responders to an overdose.Overdoses are one of the leading causes of accidental deaths in the area."The person could be almost dead, we give this to them and they pop right out of it," Rachman said.There would be extensive training for officers carrying Narcan."Can you give too much?" council President Gwyneth Jones asked.Rachman answered, "You can't, it comes in a pen."The question of liability was an issue. "As long as they act within the umbrella of their training, officers will have immunity," Rachman said."How many deaths have we had in the community?" councilman David Schnaars asked the chief."I'd have to look it up, but several," Rachman said.Rachman told a brief story of a young man who was released from rehab, and went right back to heroin. He overdosed but was saved."Two weeks later, same place, same guy, but he is no longer with us," Rachman said.If the Narcan had been available the end of the story might have been different."I'm not saying we'll change lives, but they'll still be with us," he said.The council agreed to the motion and authorized Rachman to sign for the prescription drug.